Robert Castillo changes plea to guilty in fatal stabbing of his wife during Bible study in St. Paul
MINNEAPOLIS — A St. Paul man has changed his plea to guilty in the fatal stabbing of his wife at a Bible study last year.
Court documents show Robert Castillo entered his plea in court on Monday. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with intent, but not premeditated. Castillo last summer pleaded not guilty to the crime.
According to the criminal complaint, the fatal stabbing occurred on the evening of March 21 at a residence on the 1000 block of Maryland Avenue East in St. Paul. When police officers arrived, they found 41-year-old Corinna Woodhull with severe injuries to her torso, chest and arms. Police said Castillo was being held down on the floor by several people.
Woodhull was treated at the scene and taken to Regions Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Castillo's sister told police that she hosts Bible study at the home on Tuesday nights with family members. She said Woodhull and Castillo arrived and sat together on a couch, the complaint said.
At one point Castillo whispered something into Woodhull's ear and then pulled out a knife and stabbed her repeatedly, the complaint said.
Castillo was then tackled by family members and disarmed. Another witness at the Bible study says they believed Castillo would have stabbed others had he not been disarmed, the complaint said.
The murder charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison.
Local Domestic Violence Resources
Women's Advocates
wadvocates.org
Crisis Line: (651) 227-8284
St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project
stpaulintervention.org
Crisis Line: (651) 645-2824
Minnesota Day One
dayoneservices.org
Crisis Line: 1-866-223-1111
Esperanza United
esperanzaunited.org
Bilingual crisis line: (651) 772-1611.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.